CRANSTON, R.I. -- The Rhode Island State Labor Relations Board has turned down a request to delay a vote by state-subsidized childcare workers on whether to unionize.

Donita Naylor Journal Staff Writer donita22

CRANSTON, R.I. -- The Rhode Island State Labor Relations Board has turned down a request to delay a vote by state-subsidized childcare workers on whether to unionize.

Michael Stenhouse, CEO of the Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity, had asked the board to delay the vote until the U.S. Supreme Court decides a challenge to a similar unionization campaign in Illinois. The U.S. District Court of Appeals in Minnesota granted an injunction that halted a similar effort to organize there.

But the board denied Stenhouse's request, saying his group is not a party to the case.

In Rhode Island, the Service Employees International Union District 1199 has petitioned the labor board for the right to represent some 560 daycare providers who take care of other people's children in their own homes.

The board has not yet scheduled a vote.

A statement from RISLRB administrator Robyn Golden said:

"The Board has determined that the requests submitted by Mr. Stenhouse would be denied. ... the RI State Labor Relations Board's policy is not to entertain requests from organizations that are not a party to the case, nor have any standing in the matter. Regardless of these two issues, it is not within the Board's statutory authority to act on his request or any requests of this nature."